A friend suggested taking a pen with a pocket clip, looping the elastic band or drawstring cord around the pocket clip, and threading the pen through the seam, pen tip first. It works like a charm. I'm literally able to fix drawstrings in under a minute. Now if only I could get my laundry done that fast.

We've previously suggested using a coat hanger, but if you're worried about damaging the fabric with a length of wire, selecting a slender pen with a well rounded cap is an excellent middle-ground solution between the time tested pushing-a-safety-pin method and jamming a stiff length of wire into your clothing—we'd definitely skip the part about using the exposed pen tip to push through the drawstring sleeve. Have a clever trick for repairing your clothes on the cheap? Let's hear about it in the comments.